Workplace Bullying

By Francine Taitt

Human interaction is never easy and flawless. Even the best relationships develop tensions and unpleasant emotions. Little wonder that within an organization, with its diverse personalities, that there is abuse and misuse of power, which can be translated into workplace bullying. What is workplace bullying? Workplace bullying is behaviour that intimidates, degrades, isolates, offends, or humiliates a worker. Workplace bullying, which is sometimes dismissed as personality conflict, is also referred to as psychological violence, and is far more prevalent than sexual harassment and racial discrimination, which are covered by legislation. There are insidious bullies in every workplace. These bullies are usually employees who are passive-aggressive, and are controlling.

Some examples of workplace bullying for an employee include:

• Excluding or isolating the employee
• Intimidation
• Assigning meaningless tasks unrelated to the job
• Spreading malicious rumours, gossip, or innuendo that is not true
• Undermining work performance by deliberately withholding information vital for effective work performance (deliberately impeding the employee’s work)
• Physically abusing or threatening abuse
• Removing areas of responsibility without cause
• Constantly changing work guidelines
• Underwork-creating a feeling of uselessness
• Belittling the employee’s opinions
• Blocking applications for training, leave, or promotion
• Establishing impossible deadlines that will set up the employee to fail

Bullying can also affect the overall health of an organization. Financial costs can include legal costs and management time in addressing cases of workplace bullying, not to mention the tarnished image of the organization. Organizational bullying occurs when bullying is entrenched in the organization and becomes accepted as part of the workplace culture, and can manifest in many ways, for example:

• Increased frequencies of grievances, resignations, and requests for transfers
• Increased absence due to sickness
• Increased disciplinary actions
• Increased costs for Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and recruitment
• Increased risk for accidents and incidents
• Decreased motivation and productivity, and
• Decreased morale

Although Canadian law provides that employees are entitled to “civility, decency, respect and dignity” in the workplace, and the courts are sensitive to workplace bullying, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety “there is little legislation in Canada that specifically deals with bullying in the workplace.” The closest legislation is in the Province of Quebec, where this legislation, includes “psychological harassment” in the Respecting Labour Standards Act.

Gary Namie (2003) in his study on workplace bullying concluded that:

• Employees endure bullying for a long time before filing a complaint.
• Bullies are never punished or terminated.
• Bullies are in a higher role than the target.
• Even when bullying is witnessed, team members usually side with the bully.
• Workplace sucides are often related to bullying.
• Employees are usually targeted because they stand up to unfair treatment by the bully.
• The bully envies the employee’s level of competence.
• The employee is targeted because he/she is a nice person and ethical.

What should employees do if they think they are bullied?

• Tell the person to stop the unacceptable behaviour. You can ask a union person or manager to be with you when you approach the bully.
• If the bully is a manager, ask the manager to stop the unacceptable behaviour, and have someone with you when you approach the manager
• Keep a factual diary with the date, time and what happened as detailed as possible. (It is not the character of the incidents, but the number, frequency, and the pattern that can reveal the bullying behaviour.)
• Keep copies of any letters, memos, e-mails, faxes received from the bully
• Report the incident to a manager or senior person. If your concerns are minimized, proceed to the next level of management, and lodge a complaint

What should the employer do?

• Management must commit, by having a written policy, that this behaviour will not be tolerated
• Management should commit to monitor and regularly review the policy
• Workplace bullying should be defined in precise, concrete language
• Management should provide clear examples of unacceptable behaviour and working conditions
• The organization should commit to the prevention of workplace bullying
• Outline the procedures for investigating and resolving complaints

Workplace bullying is unacceptable: It is a form of harassment and violence in the workplace and should not be tolerated. All employees should be able to work in an environment free of bullying. However, change in this behaviour will only happen if employees who are bullied report the incident and managers and supervisors ensure that employees who make the complaints are not further victimized.

Francine Taitt is the Career/Learning/Employment Equity/Diversity Consultant for Health Canada, Ontario Region.

Resources:

Namie, G. (2000). The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity.Sourcebooks.

Retrieved November 27, 2007, from http://www.workplaceviolence.ca

Retrieved November 27, 2007, from http://www.ccohs.ca